Improvement in fire-shields for theaters



FIRE SI'IIELIDS FOR THEATERS, &C.

.WRIGHT- Patented Feb.1,.1877.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFrcr LEMUL W. WRIGHT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT-IN FIRE-SHIELDS FOR THEATERS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 187,340, dated February13, 1877; application tiled January 15, 1877. i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEMUEL W. WRIGHT, ofBrooklyn, in the county ot' Kings and State of New York, have inventedan Improvement in Protecting Public Buildings in Oase of Fire, of whichthe following is a specitcation:

In theaters and other public buildings containing a stage, the risk ofiire exists principally in connection with the scenery upon the stage.There is but little risk ot' lire originating in the auditorium.

My invention is made with reference vto separating the stage entirelyfrom the auditorium, in order that fire commencing upon the formercannot communicate to the latter, and there will thus be opportunity forpersons to pass out ofthe building.

My improements can be applied to almost every theater or public buildingalready constructed, as well as to new buildings.

I make use of a stationary sheet-iron septum between the scenery andcurtain of the stage andthe main portion ofthe building, such septumextending to the root', and, by preference, above it,` so as to separatethe ceiling and roof of the auditorium from the portion ot' the buildingoccupied bythe stage, and in combination therewith a sliding shield isused that is counterpoised, and can be lowered or drawn down with ease,so as to entirely shut ofi" the portion of the building where there isrisk of ire from the portion occupied by the audience.

In the drawing, Figure lis a sectional plan of a building with myprotection added thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 is across-section, of the auditorium showing the shield. p

It will be understoodthat the details of construction will varyaccording to the character of the building. I have shown the auditoriumat a, and the front of the stage-platform at b, and c represents theportion of the building allotted to scenery and other matters connectedwith the stage. The septum e is made of plates of iron riveted together,and extending across the stage at the opening for the curtain, and thelower edge ot' this septum is as low down as consistent with thescenery, and it extends from one sidewall to the other and up into theroof, and, by preference, it extends above the top of the .roof h, asseen at lc. In cases where the boxes at the sides of the stage are notseparated from the scenery by brick walls, the iron septum should beextended Vdown behind such box portions.

In all instances care is to be taken to prevent the sheetor plate ironfrom direct contact with the wood, so that such wood will not -catch realthough the scenery may be in a blaze.

This septum may be of ordinary boiler-iron more or less corrugated, andstiened by braces, so as to prevent buckling, and it is preferable tobuild this plate at its vertical edges into the brick walls, orpermanently attach the same to the walls.

At the scenery side ot' the septum there is the sliding shield f, thatis preferably guided at its edges in slide-ways, and it is suspended bya wire rope or ropes, l, over pulleys m m connected with a counterpoise,n. In the normal position this shield will be drawn up behind the septumand held there, and it will generally be preferable to provide a wirerope, o, passing from the center ofthe septum over the pulleys r m tothe windlass-barrel s in some convenient place in the auditorium, oroutside the building, so that the shield can be lowered. I prefer tohave the shield heavier than the counterpoise, so that the shield can beclosed rapidly.

For the escape of those behind the scenes there may be a spring door inthe shield, preferably opening toward the auditorium, so as to yieldwhen pressed from the same side of the shield.

By this construction the spread of' re will be checked, so that timewill be allowed l'or the escape of the audience, and under almost allcircumstances the auditorium can be saved.

Iron doors should be provided at the doorways t below the stage, and atall other places of communication between the stage and anditorium.

The pipes s located in the upper portion ot the building over the stageare provided withroses or sprinklers, and a stand-pipe and cock, t', isprovided, so that water can be admitted in a shower upon thestage-scenery to extingush anyre.

I claim as my inventionl. The stationary sheet-metal septum ein sceneryand the auditorium, and the waterthe upper part of the building,separating the pipes and jet-nozzles above the scenery, for ceiling androot' ot' the auditorium from the confining and extinguishing fire inplaces of portion of the building occupied by the stage, I amusement,substantially as set forth. in combination with the sliding sheet-metalSigned by me this 2d day of January, 1877. shield f and counterpoise,substantially as set L. W. WRIGHT. forth. Witnesses 2. The arrangementherein specified of' the GEO. T. PINGKNEY, sheet-metal septum e andshield f between the CEAS. H. SMITH.

